Turnovers are the heartbeat of vacation rental hosting. Get them right, and everything flows. Get them wrong, and you're fielding complaints about dirty bathrooms at 10pm.
Here are five things we've learned from managing turnovers across hundreds of properties.
1. Automate the Scheduling
Stop manually creating cleaning appointments. Your calendar already knows when guests check out. Use that data to automatically schedule turnovers.
With HostHive, when a booking ends, a turnover appointment is created automatically. Your cleaner gets notified. You do nothing.
2. Give Cleaners Clear Checklists
"Clean the property" isn't a checklist. Break it down:
- •Kitchen: wipe counters, clean appliances, check fridge
- •Bathrooms: scrub toilets, replace towels, restock supplies
- •Bedrooms: change linens, make beds, dust surfaces
When cleaners know exactly what's expected, quality goes up and questions go down.
3. Require Photo Documentation
Trust your cleaners, but verify the work. Before/after photos catch issues before guests arrive—and protect cleaners from unfair complaints.
4. Track Your Supplies
Nothing derails a turnover like missing toilet paper or running out of coffee. Keep inventory updated. Set par levels. Get alerts before you run out.
5. Communicate Proactively
Don't wait for guests to ask about check-in. Send instructions the day before arrival. Include everything: door codes, WiFi, parking, house rules.
Better yet, use a digital guide like GuestBook that guests can access anytime from their phone.
Turnovers don't have to be stressful. With the right systems in place, they become routine—and you get to focus on what actually matters: creating great guest experiences.
Try HostHive free and see how automated turnover coordination works.